I am currently reading The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy for work. Roy likes to capitalize certain words for Emphasis and now I strangely find myself thinking Random Thoughts with capital letters. (I do this when I read, take on the author's writing style for all thoughts in My Brain). I'm not sure what I would think of this book if I was Just Reading it for pleasure. The story is strange, somehow simultaneously Vulgar and Beautiful.
The last few books I have read for work have all had Bengali origins, though I didn't do this necessarily On Purpose. Before the Roy novel I read Banker to the Poor, which is the autobiography of micro-credit guru Muhammad Yunus. His lending to the poor had a profound effect on poverty in Bangladesh, as well as other places where his bank model has been replicated. With the mess of our stalwart American banking system I have to believe he has a point: Capitalism for Greed's Sake serves no one, not even the greedy capitalist. Capitalism for the promotion of Better Lives can be a positive, transforming tool.
I also did a lesson plan for The Interpreter of Maladies, the Pulitzer winning collection of short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. I have to say I liked her second story collection better, Unacustomed Earth. Her stories were so beautifully, Profoundly Simple.
Some things--like poverty, aspirations, tragedy, motherhood--Transcend Culture.
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5 comments:
I enjoy books from this part of the world, too. I thought The Namesake as amazing.
Interesting point on the Capitalization. (Especially since I was just going over the *rules* w/ my elementary students this morning).
Good to hear that about Unaccustomed Earth. I loved Interpreter of Maladies and have considered buying her new one.
I wish I had more time to read. The books I want to read keep piling up beside my bed.
Sigh
I read about the banker to the poor in another book, From Good to Great, I think. It was a fascinating story of one person helping others to better themselves. And it took so little for them to do it.
I take a crazy approach to capitalization. I'm a Rebel.
You are right capitalism for pure profit for the selected few is a set up for acts of pure evil.
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