Jhumpa Lahiri's writing is characterized by her "plain" language and her characters, often Indian immigrants to America who must navigate between the cultural values of their birthplace and their adopted home.
Lahiri's second collection of short stories, Unaccustomed Earth, was released on April 1, 2008. Upon its publication, Unaccustomed Earth achieved the rare distinction of debuting on The New York Times best seller list in the number 1 slot.[12] New York Times Book Review editor Dwight Garner stated, "It’s hard to remember the last genuinely serious, well-written work of fiction — particularly a book of stories — that leapt straight to No. 1; it’s a powerful demonstration of Lahiri’s newfound commercial clout.
Everyone has their secrets. In her stunning new collection of stories, Jhumpa Lahiri gently lifts the veil to reveal how even the most ordinary lives have their dramas and tragedies and then, as gently, lets it fall back down again. A middle-aged man discovers that the death of his wife opens up his world in unexpected ways, his daughter worries that she will now have to look after him but finds that the tables, in fact, have turned; a housewife falls in love with a family friend, her child ascertains her secret years on; a young man and woman whose lives cross over the years, finally and fatedly fall in love. Unaccustomed Earthreturns to the terrain - the heart of family life and the immigrant experience - that Jhumpa Lahiri has made utterly hers, but her themes, this time around, have darkened and deepened. Poised, nuanced, deeply moving, this is a superb book.
