Before the March 9th opening of the movie "The Namesake" which is based on Jhumpa Lahiri's book of the same name, I urge everyone to read the original.
Yes, I may be partial to Lahiri . Not only is she a fellow Brooklyn resident, she is also an active opponent of the Atlantic Yards project (see below) and a Barnard Graduate. Most importantly, her writing is achingly beautiful. " The Namesake" is the story of two generations of the Ganguli family and their transition from Calcutta to Cambridge, Massachusetts. It's the classic story of immigration and assimilation.
Though this story is about an Indian family, it is my story too. Elegantly written, ever so restrained, Lahiri perfectly invokes the sense of loss the newcomer feels, the desperate attempt to hold on to one's culture and customs and what happens to the next generation which tries so hard to be American, just to realize that it will forever be a blend of two cultures.
I don't know how good the movie is. I am not even sure I want to see it for fear that it will rob me of the image I made myself of the characters. I can only suggest that you read this little gem yourself.
To read a passage of the book, follow this link:
http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/extra/bl-namesake.htm
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