Why do a lot of things have to end in heartache? Why wont they end with confetti or laughter or happy endings that make me envious over the fact that this fictional narrative is making me crumple in want?

This is such a good book. It is very well written, so well written that I am scolding myself for taking such a long time to finish it. It is made up of several short stories that bear the same motif: Indian families who travel to a different country, USA, to make better of the lives that they so struggle to live in their own. I must praise Lahiri for her ability to write with such precision that I myself was able to connect with although I am neither Indian nor am I in the USA. The point in discussion is that this book tells us about struggles and sacrifices that Indians have to go through in their journey to create something valuable in their lives.

As you may already have realised, I love books about India or the Indian people and their customs. I don't necessarily have a valid reason why but to me they are the very definition of struggle and independence. We see Indians everywhere around the world, we learn to hate them, we learn to love them, we learn to envy them and we learn to question their existence. How can they be in so many parts of the world? How can a dark-skinned person who shakes his head for both Yes and No, learn to speak Japanese fluently. How can this person be so successful when they look so unquestionably gullible?

Be it as it may, Indians can get on your nerves but when you read many books about them as I have done, you will realise how special this race of people are. Words can't even begin to describe but all I say is put your judgments aside and study these people. They are like ants. And if you know ants, you'll get what I mean.

So yes, look for this book and read it. You'll discover many emotions that you have denied feeling towards these people.