This was the first book of Lahiri that I had read in 2009. The book was adapted into a Bollywood movie featuring Tabu and Irffan Khan.
Inspired by her own story of "name", Jhumpa has created a character Gogol who was named by his father. Father Ashok & mother Ashima traverse from a remote village of Kolkata to US after marriage and settle there. Ashima misses India badly and feels lonely.
Lahiri has characterized quite well all Indian Bengalis who settle abroad but are still deep rooted. They take their culture with them which apparently confuses their coming generations. Ashok names his son Gogol, on his favorite Author. Gogol grows up as a confused child hating his name and despising the culture mix. The whole journey of Gogol’s life to an adult covers all aspects of changes- emotional, mental & physical. He dates women of his own choice, changes his name to Nikhil, undergoes emotional changes and ultimately marries a Bengali girl brought up in Us, whom his parents choose for him. In the end he learns how he was named by his father and the collection of stories his father had left for him. The entire life he searches a meaning in his name which he gets in the end.
Hats off to the linguistic proficiency in the book. As a Bengali, It was easier for me to connect to the story. The emptiness, the gloom, the culture mix.all was so well described. A worth read from Lahiri.