What is the last book you read, and your rating?
- Charlyn Tuzon
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Re: What is the last book you read, and your rating?
- Alice Thokchom
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- Kibet Hillary
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- Dr. Larry Crabb
- Redlegs
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Ashima marries Ashoke Ganguli in a traditional Indian arranged marriage before they move to America for Ashoke to continue his studies. They stay on and raise a family and make a new life in suburban America, but Ashima in particular retains as much of her Bengali heritage as possible.
Their first child is a boy, whom they eventually name Gogol, after an expected letter from India advising an appropriate name for their child fails to arrive. Nikolai Gogol, the Russian writer, is Ashoke's favourite author, and there is a strong connection to his survival from a potential tragedy that is at the heart of his decision to so name his son.
As Gogol progresses through life in America, he becomes embarrassed by his unusual name, neither Bengali nor American, and as he reaches college age, he changes his name formally to Nikhil, an option he had previously rejected.
Lahiri provides a wonderful counterpoint between the lives of the parents, who retain so much of their Bengali heritage, while their children grow to embrace so much of the modern American lifestyle. Gogol has a younger sister, Sonia, who affectionately refers to her brother as Goggles.
The novel focuses mostly on Gogol/Nikhil, as he grows to a young man, progresses through school and college and takes up a profession (architecture), forms romantic relationships with young American women, but then marries an Indian woman who was a childhood acquaintance.
Lahiri, with her delightfully elegant but understated prose, brings to life a family that learns to work across cultural boundaries and customs to make a life in suburban America. It is full of warmth and love, some wonderful characters, and a little of life's tragedies. There is a deep profundity, elegance and precision to this masterful work of modern fiction.
4.5 stars out of 5
The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
- Redlegs
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It would be fascinating to see if someone today, writing their own version of Utopia, (I'm sure there would be a multitude of alternative views), would keep much of More's philosophy?
3 stars out of 5
The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
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I would rate it 3/4 stars. Fast paced drama with interesting characters, set in back woods of Virigina.
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- chelhack
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- Charlyn Tuzon
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- Cash-Centered Creep
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Interesting look at the elements of leadership, though stylistically it is off-putting.
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I rated it 4 out of 4 stars
- Shivam_chaudhary
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I will just rate it 4/5 stars.
The overall concept of the book was on the mindset and how it helps to overcome the difficulties of the life