About a boy called gogol. What a name, yeah. His dad, born and brought up in Calcutta, chooses it as a pet name, based on his favourite Russian author. Also, that he was once near death… and when he was saved he was with a copy of nikolai gogol’s book. Significant for him in many ways, and as such, when he and his new bride, fresh out of India, are all alone in America, with no elders to help in the naming, gogol comes up.
The kid will always hate the name, and even changes it, growing up in America. He only comes to appreciate it much later, after his father dies.
Its not just about a name, its about his life, growing up in America, the frequent trips back to visit nameless cousins and relatives in Calcutta… being an American of Indian descent. Not so much a typical Indian book, it is written from all aspects, from gogol’s dad’s viewpoint, ashoke, a brilliant professor, his wife, moushoomi, their daughter, sonali, and their relationships, and gogol’s coming to terms with life.
The kid will always hate the name, and even changes it, growing up in America. He only comes to appreciate it much later, after his father dies.
Its not just about a name, its about his life, growing up in America, the frequent trips back to visit nameless cousins and relatives in Calcutta… being an American of Indian descent. Not so much a typical Indian book, it is written from all aspects, from gogol’s dad’s viewpoint, ashoke, a brilliant professor, his wife, moushoomi, their daughter, sonali, and their relationships, and gogol’s coming to terms with life.
No comments:
Post a Comment