Please. Just go read this now. You won't be disappointed. Jhumpa Lahiri's most recent collection of short stories: Unaccustomed Earth. It's brilliant. Fiction writing at its best. Read a review here first if you need to be convinced. The woman is so gifted as a writer it's ridiculous.
About a week ago I finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's new novel, The Lacuna, and I was left feeling quite bereft. It was such a good read that I didn't want it to end. A friend who was reading it at the same time said she felt the same way. But it did eventually end (like all good things, hey?) but I can live in hope that Ms Kingsolver will keep pumping out great novels like she has so far (think The Poisonwood Bible). If you love Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera's work then you'll be entranced by this story. It's a good long 507 pages if you buy the hard back version like I did. I suggest the paper back version if you like carrying your books around with you. My copy was like carrying a large brick. But a very fascinating, wonderful large brick at that.
I'm really loving this book. For many reasons really. One being that it's a collection of stories set in and about New York in 1974 and I'm still swooning from my visit there last year. And the 70's were a really interesting decade for that city. Another being that Irish born Colum McCann is a brilliant story teller who deserves to be praised at any chance. One more reason to love this book is because it's a collection of short stories, a form I find really portable and accessible when I'm busy and can't keep my head in a traditional novel.
I love a good read and Marina Lewycka is a sure bet. I'm halfway through her new book, We are All Made of Glue, and am really enjoying it. It's not outrageously funny like her previous novels A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian or Two Caravans are (even though they raise some serious issues about immigration and exploitation) but still so readable. She's got a knack of writing about everyday issues along side bigger more complex stuff. It works for me. There's a review here if you'd like to know more about the plot.
