Jonathan Franzen “The Corrections”

The Corrections is a great American novel for our time. It is the rare book that engages the heart and the head.
Jonathan Franzen tells the story of the Lamberts: Alfred and Enid, retired in their hometown, and their kids. Alfred, in particular, is having difficulties, mentally and physically. Their three grown children live on the East Coast: Denise is a chef, Gary a banker, Chip is between jobs. Gary is married and has three children.
Enid wants to bring together the family for at least one final Christmas. The story moves between present and pasts, from child to child and the story of each of the five Lamberts is told. The novel leaves the reader with both a family portrait and a portrait of America in the late 1990's.
The Corrections is a very fine read.
Highly recommended.
Ann.

Jhumpa Lahiri “Interpreter of maladies”

Interpreter of Maladies is truly a masterpiece. It is a book collection of nine short stories by Indian American author Jhumpa Lahiri published in 1999. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award in the year 2000. Rich with culture, Interpreter of Maladies shows characters that are simple, human, and very relatable. They are mostly gentle, believable, foolish or strong – they’re a pleasure to be with. Lahiri is a storyteller who shows beauty in simplicity, exploring Indians and Americans, the immigrant experience. Each story is unique.
I loved her style of writing and really enjoyed this author and I plan on reading more by her.
Olga