Unaccustomed Earth is written by Jhumpa Lahiri, winner of a Pulitzer prize
for The Namesake. Eight short stories explore the universal emotional
connections of emigrants/immigrants from as far away as India, Thailand,
and as close as Cambridge and Seattle.
Each story stands alone, but reflects a variation on life, death, love and faith.
Lahiri describes parents' expectations for their children success, and children's
rebellion against traditional values. Conflict generated by modern ways insert itself in each story.
Lahiri flushes out honest emotions in each of her characters. Scenes truly
resonate with powerful, true to life dialogues. The reader has the impression that
each story could be expanded into full length novels. When one reads a succession of
short stories, endings tend to be uneven and disappointing, but this is not the case
with Unaccustomed Earth. The author is truly gifted and each story is beautifully
crafted. An enjoyable read.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.