Rating: 
Summary: fantastic - but why do people brand her an ethnic writer??
Review: A pure pleasure to read from start to finish. While others judge it for its content amongst other things, you just have to take the book and read it without any pre-conceived notions of India or foreigners.....This book should be read for its intrepretation of the human spirit. It is not meant to be a book about recipes of India or Indians as such; it merely conveys the humour and sadness of people's lives with aplomb and wit. The fact that the story covers Indians is a side issue and not the main point. The Pulitzer fiction prize is awarded to writers who write about issues relating to America or Americans. That's all there is to it. "A worthy winner of the pulitzer with some poignant stories"
Rating: 
Summary: Indian culture meets American culture
Review: "Interpreter of Maladies" is Jhumpa Lahiri's first book. She is a young ethnic Bengali writer, born in London, raised in Long Island and living in New York. Her book "Interpreter of Maladies" contains a collection of nine stories, all a wonderful blend everything - from failed marriages, love and affairs, a struggling single mom, to the tragedy of having a stillborn baby. Every story with the touch of Indian customs and traditions. One of my favorite stories is the closing story 'The third and final continent' where we meet the 36 year old Indian man who follows the tradition of arranged marriage. He married a woman chosen by his older brother, and then left her after a week to go to Boston. She was to stay back for 6 weeks and then reunite with her husband in US. This a story about his quest, his struggle in a new world, and of course' how him and his wife stopped being strangers, how their life came about in this huge, strange country (US). This story ends like this: -- 'While the astronauts, heroes forever, spent mere hours on the moon, I have remained in this new world for nearly thirty years. I know that my achievement is quite ordinary. I am not the only man to seek his fortune far from home. And certainly I am not the first. Still there are times I am bewildered by each mile I have traveled, each meal I have eaten, each person I have known, each room in which I have slept. As ordinary as it all appears, there are times when it is beyond my imagination.' -- Compelling! This is probably the strongest and most beautiful ending I have ever encountered in any story! Another notable standout is "This blessed house" - the story about the young couple, Twinkle and Sanjeev, recently married after a very short courtship. After moving in to their new home, they discovers almost daily crucifixes, cards and other Christian objects/symbols that the previous owners left. These finding are made to Twinkle's great pleasure, and to Sanjeev's increasing frustration. Needless to say this takes its' toll on their relationship... Very funny! Lahiri's excellent prose and the beautiful stories make this into an immensely readable collection, even though it is an all too quick read. I can't wait until her next work is being published. Highly deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.
Rating: 
Summary: Pass on this one
Review: Does anyone else think it is telling that most reviewers praising this collection cant go a sentence or two without making references to Indian cuisine, customs, and the loss of cultural identity? Obviously the Interpreter of Maladies deals with those things. But so do many better works of literature. Surely we should expect more from fiction than to merely evoke some vague sense of the other. Ms. Lahiri may have a unique perspective, but I dont really see it in this collection. Her characters, you see, are boring. Sure, they have some interesting features and they may come from interesting places, but we dont really care about them, mostly because we do not know them. Mrs. Das in the title story is a bored young wife, but little else. What makes her special other than that she is on a tour of India with her husband? Why does she put up with the dimwit in the first place? Consider too the parents in the autobiographical Mr. Pirzada comes to Dine. Is their only purpose to frown at the plight of Mr. Pirzadas family and prepare the occasional curry dinner? I wont even mention the gimmicky coming of age segment of the story. The most effective piece in this collection is A Temporary Matter. Not because the characters are particularly fascinating mind you(typical struggling graduate student and bread-maker spouse), but because all is not what it seemed. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is predictable, preachy, and banal. Lahiri gives us a slice of life, but little else. I didnt learn much about India or Indian immigrants in this story, but I didnt expect to. What I did hope for was a good read. The Interpreter of Maladies does not provide that. Of course, this book has been enormously successful so either I am being too demanding or Ms. Lahiri has been fortunate enough to find just the right niche.
Rating:
Summary: Interpreter of Maladies - Superb Narrative
Review: Jhumpa Lahiri's observational sense has to be among the finest to be found among contemporary writers. Her ability to bring to life memories of times past,the humor she portrays her characters and their setting with, her vividness and her sense of detail make each of her short stories a pleasure to read.
Rating:
Summary: A Warm Invitation into the Indian Culture
Review: Interpreter of Maladies contains a wonderful blend of Indian customs and traditions and their contrasts and similarities to life in America. The book heightens your senses of sight and smell as attire and foods are discussed. It felt warm and inviting. Another great aspect of Interpreter of Maladies was that it is a collection of stories and while the stories themselves are disjointed, they wrap into a nice package to bring the reader an understanding and appreciation for India.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for anyone seeking to understand immigrant lives
Review: Beautiful short stories that touch the heart. Immensely readable. Genuine immigrant experiences portrayed very truthfully. The style throughout the book has such a smooth flow and simplicity that one cannot wait to continue on to the next story.
Rating:
Summary: Taste of Curry
Review: As defined in the Random House College Dictionary, malady is 1. any disorder or disease of the body, especially one that is chronic or deep-seated. 2. any undesirable or disordered condition. "Interpreter of Maladies," is a book about such ill conditions, from love-sickness to home-sickness, one is continually thrust into a new situation of heartache. From loss to gain, one understands the cornucopia of common emotions that are written about here. It is in Jhumpa Lahiri's presentation that makes this book unforgettable. She offers up stories about what it means to be human AND what it means to be Indian. From the native land to foreign soil, the reader travels to India and back again to the States, learning about Indian ancestory and its customs from that of refugees, immigrants, and natural born American citizens. "Interpreter of Maladies" is like looking through a kaleidoscope; each piece is a beautiful offering of an emotional scope, framed by that of India. And in its telling, one can almost smell rice and fish frying, a taste of curry on the tongue. "Interpreter of Maladies" is a wonderful meal.
Rating:
Summary: Reminiscent of Marquez...but w/ a twist!
Review: I read this book in about four hours --but it certainly deserved to be savored! Each story was precise and elegant, to the point that they seemed to be like hand-crafted pieces. Lahiri's excellent prose was thoroughly engaging but did not at all seem pretentious. Her style kind of reminded me of G.G.Marquez, but without the magical realism. Her style is all her own, but you can't help but get the feeling that the stories had a mythical, almost fable-like tinge to it. The stories addressed all points of life --from failed marriages, the life of immigrants, love, and more. The stories transcend ethnic and geographical boundaries and will draw the reader in. It's wholly entertaining that you'll find yourself finishing the book without even knowing it! Two thumbs up!
Rating:
Summary: "Splendid!"
Review: This is a wonderful set of stories. When I first saw the title though, I wasn't sure I'd want to read a book called that. But then I heard about it winning the Pulitzer prize. And a few favorable comments finally swayed my decision. Ms. Lahiri's talent is undeniably fine. With the opening sentences of the first story, I knew she had me. Certainly, the setting was not that extraordinary. And, the characters seemed like fairly average people. But her choice of words, the selection of details to emphasize, the clarity of her authorial voice -- all of these elements hooked me in. Each of the stories here makes a remarkable impression. The themes underlie so much of our human experience and Ms. Lahiri's gentle telling never strains toward pontification. She makes the telling seem so natural, so easy. I am not one to think that reading should be a struggle -- an author should present a story so that one isn't puzzling out every detail. So, I appreciate that this writer did her job. In reading these stories, we are given a chance to interpret their meanings and attempt to understand the characters and situations presented. There isn't anything which will change your life (that may be why some people are less impressed by this book -- they're expecting a lot since it has been a prize winner). But, it will give you something to think about, some fine stories to enjoy. That is what for me makes this such an excellent book. The first stories I knew in life were ones which touched me and which I wanted to appreciate time and time again. This collection is like that. It will definitely find a space on the shelf of books I return to.
Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking and exceptionally real!
Review: I bought the book on impulse and its collection of stories created a sense of nostalgia as I myself grew up in India. The book captures the small nuances of marriage, the relationship aspect between couples, and the unspoken feelings and misunderstandings. It also sheds light on the cultural disconnect between certain Indian values and the modern American culture, from the perspective on Indian immigrants, specially women.
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