I don't know Bengali perfectly. I don't know how to write it or even read it. I have an accent, I speak without authority, and so I've always perceived a disjunction between it and me. As a result, I consider my mother tongue, paradoxically, a foreign language. Jhumpa Lahiri accentauthoritybengali share on social
I always wanted to grow up in a house full of books, English books, and I wanted the sort of fireplaces that worked, overstuffed chairs, that whole kind of fantasy of a bookish New England life. So the library gave me that; for the hours that I was there, I was surrounded by that atmosphere that I craved in my life. Jhumpa Lahiri atmospherebookbookish share on social
Many of my characters struggle with loneliness, that is fair to say. Jhumpa Lahiri characterfairloneliness Change image and share on social
I've always been searching to arrive at a certain voice that will probably elude me forever. Jhumpa Lahiri arriveeludeforever Change image and share on social
I think the fundamental thing about writing fiction is that you write what interests you and what inspires you. It can't be forced. I see no need to write about anything else or any other type of world. Jhumpa Lahiri fictionforcefundamental share on social
Writing has certain advantages; film is another way to tell a story. An experienced filmmaker will take what she needs from the book and leave out other things. With adaptations, you never get the texture of the writing: it's a different mode. Jhumpa Lahiri adaptationadvantagebook share on social
When I am experiencing a complex story or novel, the broader planes, and also details, tend to fall away. Jhumpa Lahiri broadcomplexdetail Change image and share on social
Interpreter of Maladies is the title of one of the stories in the book. And the phrase itself was something I thought of before I even wrote that story. Jhumpa Lahiri bookinterpretermalady Change image and share on social
On the technical side, I hope that my writing is evolving and maturing, ripening, deepening. Jhumpa Lahiri deepenevolvehope Change image and share on social
A lot of my upbringing was about denying or fretting or evading. Jhumpa Lahiri denyevadefret Change image and share on social