I try to represent specific experiences of specific characters, and that's all I want to try to do. I don't ever try to think about representing a culture, because its impossible, and someone will fault you. And it just doesn't interest me. Jhumpa Lahiri charactercultureexperience share on social
I realize that the wish to write in a new language derives from a kind of desperation. Jhumpa Lahiri derivedesperationkind Change image and share on social
I have two passports because I have to have at least one, and I really don't know how I define myself. And I feel that as I get older, I feel very fortunate to have, on paper, a dual nationality. Jhumpa Lahiri definedualfeel Change image and 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
I think, like any artist or any writer, I just want to have that pure freedom of expression and of thought - the freedom to explore and move in unexpected ways. Jhumpa Lahiri artistexploreexpression Change image and share on social
When I write a book, characters come to life for me somewhere at the back of my head. I strive to make them flesh and blood in an abstract way, in words. Jhumpa Lahiri abstractbackblood Change image and share on social
American? Indian? I don't know what these words mean. In Italy, it is all about blood, family, where you come from. I'm asked where I am from. I'm from nowhere; I always was, but now I am happy knowing it. Jhumpa Lahiri americanaskblood share on social
I tend to read mostly 20th-century fiction, 20th-, 21st-century fiction in Italian. Jhumpa Lahiri 20th21stcentury Change image and share on social
This story is based on a gentleman who indeed did... used to come to my parents' house in 1971 from Bangladesh. He was at the University of Rhode Island. And I was four, four years old, at the time, and so I actually don't have any memories of this gentleman. Jhumpa Lahiri bangladeshbasegentleman share on social
Some Indians will come up and say that a story reminded them of something very specific to their experience. Which may or may not be the case for non-Indians. Jhumpa Lahiri caseexperienceindian Change image and share on social
