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Interpreter of maladies

  • Jhumpa Lahiri

3.79

38 ratings

Title: Interpreter of maladies. - Boston : Houghton Mifflin.

"Interpreter of Maladies" is a collection of nine short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri, exploring the lives of Indian and Indian-American characters who are grappling with issues of identity, displacement, and the complexities of human relationships. Here’s a brief summary of each story in the collection:

"A Temporary Matter": A couple, Shoba and Shukumar, reconnect during nightly power outages, revealing secrets and grappling with the stillbirth of their child, ultimately leading to a heartbreaking revelation.

"When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine": A young girl, Lilia, learns about the political turmoil in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) through the eyes of Mr. Pirzada, a family friend who comes to dinner every evening while his own family is trapped in the conflict.

"Interpreter of Maladies": Mr. Kapasi, a tour guide in India, develops a brief emotional connection with Mrs. Das, an Indian-American tourist, as they share personal stories during a day trip. The story ends with a poignant realization about their respective lives.

"A Real Durwan": Boori Ma, a sweeper in a Calcutta apartment building, faces the consequences of the residents' sudden desire for improvement and modernization, leading to her unjust expulsion.

"Sexy": Miranda, a young American woman, has an affair with a married Indian man and learns about the complexities and consequences of love and infidelity through her interactions with a young boy named Rohin.

"Mrs. Sen's": An American boy named Eliot forms a bond with his Indian babysitter, Mrs. Sen, who struggles with her isolation and longing for her home country while adapting to life in the United States.

"This Blessed House": Newlyweds Twinkle and Sanjeev navigate their cultural differences and relationship dynamics as they discover Christian paraphernalia in their new home, leading to tension and a deeper understanding of each other.

"The Treatment of Bibi Haldar": Bibi Haldar, a woman suffering from a mysterious ailment, is ostracized by her community. After a transformative event, she finds a new purpose and gains independence.

"The Third and Final Continent": An Indian immigrant recounts his journey from India to England to America, his experiences adapting to new cultures, and his evolving relationship with his wife, Mala, reflecting on their shared history and the concept of home.

Lahiri's stories poignantly capture the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, and the nuanced emotions that come with navigating life between different worlds.

Genres

  • East Indian Americans
  • Social life and customs
  • East Indian Americans in fiction
  • Nouvelles anglophones
  • Open Library Staff Picks
  • Fiction
  • open_syllabus_project
  • American Short stories
  • Asian Americans
  • Écrits d'immigrés
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About the author

  • Jhumpa Lahiri

    born 1967

    3.55

    80 ratings · 42 works

Editions

  • Edition cover

    Unabridged edition

    Highbridge Audio

    January 13, 2005

  • Edition cover

    1e dr.

    De Harmonie, Manteau

    1999

  • Edition cover

    Distribooks

    April 2002

  • Edition cover

    HighBridge Audio

    Mar 01, 2021

  • Conditions sociales
  • Short stories
  • Short Stories (single author)
  • Literary
  • Vingtième siècle
  • Nouvelles indiennes (de l'Inde) de langue anglaise
  • Américains d'origine indienne (de l'Inde)
  • Fiction, short stories (single author)
  • Asian americans, fiction
  • Indios orientales
  • Novela
  • Cuentos
  • FICTION / Literary
  • FICTION / Short Stories (single author)
  • English literature
  • Unabridged Audio - Fiction/General
  • Self-Help / Depression
  • General
  • East indian americans--social life and customs
  • East indian americans--social life and customs--fiction
  • Authors, american
  • Authors, american--20th century
  • East indian americans--fiction
  • Ps3562.a316 i58 1999
  • Book: sga lah
  • 813/.54
  • Edition cover

    HighBridge Audio

    Jan 13, 2005

  • Edition cover

    Salamandra

    2016

  • Edition cover

    Gallimard

    March 6, 2003

  • Edition cover

    Thorndike Press

    April 20, 2004

  • Edition cover

    Unabridged edition

    Soundelux Audio Publishing

    June 2000

  • Edition cover

    Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media

    June 1999

  • Edition cover

    Houghton Mifflin

    1999

  • Edition cover

    Flamingo

    1999

  • Edition cover

    Flamingo

    May 15, 2000

  • Edition cover

    Mariner

    1999

  • Edition cover

    New Ed edition

    Flamingo

    May 15, 2000

  • Edition cover

    Houghton Mifflin

    May 22, 2000

  • Edition cover

    Unabridged edition

    Highbridge Audio

    October 1, 2001

  • Edition cover

    Tandem Library

    March 2001

  • Edition cover

    Pocket edition

    Planeta Pub Corp

    July 2003

  • Edition cover

    Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference Publishers

    2000

  • Edition cover

    HarperCollins

    May 04, 1999

  • Edition cover

    HarperCollins Publishers Limited

    2014

  • Edition cover

    Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference Publishers

    2019

  • Edition cover

    Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

    2000

  • Edition cover

    HarperCollins Publishers

    2006-01-01

  • Edition cover

    Chu ban

    Tian pei wen hua you xian gong si

    2001

  • Edition cover

    Di 1 ban

    Shanghai wen yi chu ban she

    2005

  • Edition cover

    Ugo Guando Editore

  • Edition cover

    Ediciones del Bronce

    December 2000