Court wrote @ October 11, 2006 at 4:41 pm

Nice. Can I suggest something that is available in the library or that doesn’t cost more than $20.

  Court wrote @ October 12, 2006 at 4:37 pm

I like it!

  Court wrote @ October 31, 2006 at 11:25 pm

I am almost finished chapter 2…

  Matt wrote @ November 6, 2006 at 12:08 pm

Gogol…. i know, from the Russian writer, but is anybody else annoyed about how much it reminds of Google?

  Zainab wrote @ December 19, 2006 at 1:44 am

Hey I’ve been meaning to ask, is this an online book club? or do you have to be there in person? I just bought The Namesake… the movie stars Kumar (shame on those who don’t know which Kumar I refer too), so that should be entertaining.

  Court wrote @ January 22, 2007 at 5:28 pm

Guess what? I’m going to use this book for my guided reading assignment. It fits perfectly. About a visible minority, faces challenges and identity issues.

So my assignment is gonna be my contirbution to the book club ;)

  Court wrote @ March 21, 2007 at 9:37 pm

Name: Courtney Chan
Type of Book: chapter book
Grade Level: 10
Title of Book: The Namesake
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Illustrated by: N/A
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Company
ISBN #: 0-618-48522-8

Characters: Gogol (Nikhil) Ganguli – The book follows Gogol as he grows up and struggles to find his own identity.
Ashima Ganguli – Gogol’s mother. Ashima must learn to live on her own after her husband dies.
Ashoke Ganguli – Gogol’s father. Ashoke immigrates to America in hopes of finding the American dream.
Ruth – Gogol’s first girlfriend. It is with Ruth that Gogol creates his alter ego, Nikhil.
Moushumi – Gogol’s wife. Both previously in denial of their Indian heritage, Gogol and Moushumi find happiness together.

Basic Plot: The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of an arranged marriage, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Ashoke does his best to adapt while his wife pines for home. When their son, is born, the task of naming him betrays their hope of respecting old ways in a new world. Bengalis tradition dictates that the honour of naming the child is given to the grandmother. However, when the letter containing his chosen name is lost, the baby’s nickname, Gogol, becomes his official name. Because of his unconventional name, Gogol struggles to find acceptance in American society. Eventually Gogol legally changes his name to Nikhil, creating an alter ego to the conservative Indian boy he has always been. As Nikhil, Gogol, discovers self-confidence and breaks away from the traditional rules and boundaries enforced by his parents. Nikhil experiences a number of relationships with American girls, each one bringing him closer to discovering his true self. When Nikhil falls in love with Moushumi, a Bengalis girl, he is finally forced to accept the Indian culture that he has been fleeing his entire adolescence.

Why read this book: I chose The Namesake because the hero of the story is a visible minority. This book tells of the difficulties faced by new immigrants and the cultural struggles they must overcome. The book’s focus on the family gives insight to the difficulties faced by first generation children as they strive to find a balance between the traditions of their parents and the North American culture. The author names cultural stereotypes and paints a clear picture of its effects.

Students will be able to identify with Gogol’s journey of self-discovery as he matures from childhood to manhood. He faces the universal pains of first relationships and failed love.

  Court wrote @ August 8, 2007 at 5:59 pm

I finished reading a God of Small Things. It was really good. There is only one thing that has confused me. At the end of the book when Rahel and Estha were seeking comfort in each other’s arms….did they end up sleeping together?

  Court wrote @ August 9, 2007 at 11:44 pm

I’m now readhing The Good Earth by Pearl Buck. It won the Pultzer prize…but more importantly, it was an Oprah book club pick…LOL. So it should be good ;)